Everything You Need to Know about MCAT Anki Decks [+Best Examples]

Are you thinking about using Anki decks to study for the MCAT? If so, you’re definitely not alone! Many MCAT candidates find that Anki cards help them learn and remember key concepts. But if you’re new to Anki, it can be tricky to know where to start. In this post, we’ll talk about everything you need to know about creating and using MCAT Anki decks. Plus, we’ll share some of our favorite deck examples. So read on for all the tips and tricks you need to get started!

What is an Anki Deck?

Anki is a powerful tool for memorizing a variety of things, ranging from a new language to physics formulas. Anki’s self-testing and spaced repetition components are what make it a popular MCAT prep tool, particularly for reviewing the science section of the MCAT.

Self-testing is an inherent feature of flashcards, such as asking yourself to recall content based on a question, phrase, or definition. The spacing effect suggests that we learn most efficiently when our learning is spaced over time, based on regular repetition.

Anki accomplishes both of these by displaying flashcards for “review” only when you are about to forget their content. These features distinguish Anki from other flashcard apps by giving it the powerful ability to enable highly effective studying.

While Anki’s core feature is spaced repetition, it also has other features that make creating and studying flashcards a breeze. These features include device synchronization, high levels of customization, the option to embed media files such as audio, videos, and images into your flashcards, and numerous add-ons that can help you study more effectively. Above all, Anki is completely free to use on both desktop and Android devices!

Best Ways to Use MCAT Anki Decks

If you’re new to Anki, start with the desktop version; don’t worry, you’ll be able to easily sync the flashcards from your desktop to your phone for an on-the-go practice! After that, you’ll need to install Anki on your computer. Anki is available for free on computers and Android devices, but the Anki App for iPhones and iPads costs $25.

This is how you create an Anki deck. When you first start using Anki, you will have one deck called “Default.” Then, from the bottom menu bar, you can rename this deck by clicking the gear icon and tapping on “Rename,” or create a new deck by clicking the gear and selecting “Create Deck.” You can also create subdecks in the same way, but with the additional step of clicking and dragging the subdeck on top of the deck you want it to belong under.

After you’ve created your decks, the next step is to create the flashcards that will comprise that deck. To make a new flashcard, go to the top menu and select add. This will result in the appearance of a new, smaller window. This new window contains five main areas, and you will notice more fields available. They are, however, not required to begin using Anki.

How Can I Make My own Anki Deck for the MCAT?

Anki decks are incredibly effective for MCAT preparation. By creating your own Anki deck, you can tailor the material to your specific needs and make sure you’re getting the best you can out of your studying. Here’s how to create an Anki deck for the MCAT:

First, decide what format you want to use for your Anki deck. There are a few different options available, and you’ll need to choose one that best suits your learning style. Once you’ve decided on a format, it’s time to start adding content. Start by creating cards for each of the major topics that will be covered on the MCAT. As you create cards, be sure to include both factual information and concepts that will require analytical thinking.

When you have a basic framework for your Anki deck, it’s time to start filling in the details. Be sure to add quiz questions, practice passages, and anything else that will help you prepare for the exam. By taking the time to create a comprehensive Anki deck, you’ll be setting yourself up for success on test day.

Can I Use Anki Decks to Study for Other Exams, Such as the LSAT or GMAT?

Anki is a powerful learning tool that can be used to memorize anything, from vocabulary words to complex equations. While Anki is most commonly used to prepare for exams like the MCAT, you can absolutely use it to study for other exams, such as the GMAT and LSAT. Anki’s success comes from its ability to create customized flashcards based on your individual needs.

For example, if you are struggling to remember a particular equation, you can create a flashcard with that equation on one side and the solution on the other. Over time, Anki will help you to memorize the equation so that you can recall it when you need it. In addition, Anki’s spaced repetition algorithm ensures that you review information at just the right interval for maximum retention. So if you’re looking for a way to boost your performance on the GMAT, give Anki a try. You will be surprised at how efficiently it works.

What Are Some of the Benefits of Using MCAT Anki Decks?

It can be especially beneficial for those studying for the MCAT because the amount of information that pre-med students must memorize for the MCAT can be overwhelming at times. Anki helps with memorizing required content without having to worry about missing out on important information or forgetting to review it.

However, the effectiveness of MCAT Anki decks is determined by three factors: how the cards are formatted, whether you make your own, and which decks you use. However, how intensively you use it and how you apply what you learn to real-world problems is equally important!

That is why most MCAT prep experts advise you to use a variety of resources. Anki is not a substitute for the official AMCAS MCAT study materials. You must first ensure that you understand the concepts! You want to aim for actual exam practice combined with Anki revision.

Note: If you want an honest opinion on how good or bad Anki is for MCAT (or how effective a pre-made deck can be), we recommend reading some reports on r/AnkiMCAT. It’s a fantastic resource!

The Drawbacks of Using Anki for MCAT

It is essential to weigh the pros and cons of using Anki before diving in.

You must exercise caution when using new study tools if you are unfamiliar with them.

This is probably one of the biggest drawbacks of Anki; learning how to use the software can take some time.

However, there are some other drawbacks:

The Anki learning curve (modifying and adjusting settings is complicated, installing and using plugins is also tricky)
The difficult interface of Anki (especially in comparison to alternatives)
Making your own cards is time-consuming.
The distinction between flashcard recall and MCAT-style question passages
The dedication to reviewing – sacrificing study time focused on question practice or learning new material.
Of course, many of these disadvantages are avoidable by devoting some time to learning how to use Anki effectively.

There are numerous YouTube channels and courses available to assist you with this. In this regard, Anking’s tutorials and Testing for Victory‘s free 30-minute Anki course are both valuable resources.

7 Best Anki Decks for MCAT Preparation

We’ll only look at the most popular and widely used decks to save time. This article will not cover anything that is too old or is not considered a “gold standard.”

Anki Deck “MCAT For Victory”

Deck Type: Comprehensive MCAT Preparation Course
3800 cards Year of Upload: 2021
Plugins required: N/A
147 Mb in size

MCAT For Victory is redefining MCAT prep courses by offering an all-in-one solution for MCAT candidates.

This deck, designed to be used in conjunction with their video courses and tutors, is comprehensive enough to cover the core concepts of the MCAT without making you spend hours memorizing unnecessary flashcards.

This deck compares favorably to some of the other popular options on this list.

One of the best aspects of this deck is how neatly it is organized into Physics and Chemistry(1,100 cards), Biology and Biochemistry (1,600+ cards), and Psychology and Sociology (1,600+ cards) (1,000 cards). A tag for key equations and constants (170 cards) is also included, as is a free 30-minute Anki course.

MCAT Anki Deck by Bouras

Deck Type: Comprehensive MCAT
Cards: 13,333
Upload year: 2020
Hierarchical Tags are required plugins. 2
963 Mb in size

This deck is enormous and equipped with everything you could possibly need. It’s also a cloze (fill-in-the-gap) format for most cards, which means you can get through it faster than decks that rely more on the basic card format.

Its sources are as follows:

300-page Psych/Social (P/S) JackSparrow (more on this later) and Khan Academy resources
MileDown Bio/Biochem (B/B): (more on this later) JackSparrow, PDF, and Memorangapp
MileDown PDF and Physics Equations Lab Techniques for Chem/Phys (C/P)
YouTube channel ScienceSimplified
1018 MCAT Behavioral Sciences cards from u/PsychAnswer4U The Anki deck
The Ortho528 MCAT Anki deck contains 101 cards.
MileDown’s MCAT deck contains 1112 cards.
The entire Anki deck of u/Tiramiwho

MCAT Anki Deck by MileDown

Deck Type: Comprehensive MCAT Cards: 2900
Upload year: 2018.
Plugins required: Hierarchical Tags 2
227 Mb in size

MileDown’s deck is one of the most popular MCAT decks created by the Anki community, to say the least.

This deck contains everything you’ll ever need for the exam, based on his popular 90-page review sheet PDF and his 300-page Khan Academy Psych/Soc document.

The 2,900 cards are divided into seven subdecks. Download the Hierarchical Tags add-on to improve your ability to navigate the tags.

The cards are mostly in the cloze format, with links to Khan Academy or YouTube whenever possible.

MCAT Anki Deck by Ortho528

Deck Type: Comprehensive MCAT
Cards: 4351
Upload year: 2017.
Plugins required: Image Size of Occlusion: 116 Mb

This deck was created by Ortho528, who scored 132 on all of the MCAT content sections; it is ideal for students studying for the MCAT for the first time.

As evidenced by Ortho, who was a career changer in medicine, this is the most comprehensive resource you’ll find, with over 4000 cards.

This deck could be useful for anyone who uses these resources!

Ortho recommends using this deck in conjunction with the practice tests included in some of these preparation materials and the AAMC samples and section packs.

MCAT Anki Deck by NextLevelColor

Deck Type: Comprehensive 5950 MCAT Cards
Upload year: 2018.
Image Occlusion and Hierarchical Tags are required plugins.

With this deck, NextLevelColor scored a whopping 519 points. Their total study period was approximately 2.5 months.

The main advantage of this deck is its organization. The hierarchical tags plugin is excellent, and you can lock and unlock topics as you go.

Another nice touch is the AA label. You can use this to create personalized study sessions and go to town on learning difficult amino acid names and structures.

MCAT Anki Deck by RebopBebop

Deck Type: Comprehensive MCAT
Cards: 4438
Upload year: 2016.
Plugins required: N/A
172 Mb in size

RebopBebop created another popular MCAT Anki deck that is popular among the r/Mcatstudent community. They received a test score of 518. (going in with a 3.8 GPA).

MCAT Deck of Jacksparrow2048

Deck Type: Comprehensive 6289 MCAT Cards
Upload year: 2020
Plugins required: N/A
172 Mb in size

Jacksparrow2048’s deck, one of the more recent MCAT Anki decks on the web, wasn’t intended for release and is a little rough around the edges.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a powerful way to memorize all sorts of things, Anki is the tool for you. The self-testing and spaced repetition components make it an ideal MCAT prep tool, but it can also help you learn a new language or physics formulas. Along with Anki, there are amazing tools out there to improve your MCAT Prep. Be sure to try out Jack Westin’s free Daily Passages or MCAT Diagnostic.

Additionally, if you’re feeling stuck in your MCAT journey, be sure to schedule a free consultation with a Jack Westin Academic Advisor.